Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Wanaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Dunedin and Wanaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,795 in Dunedin versus $1,871 in Wanaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,789 in Dunedin versus $2,918 in Wanaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,783 in Dunedin versus $3,964 in Wanaka.

Living in Dunedin costs roughly 4% less than in Wanaka, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dunedin 35% above, Wanaka 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.86 NZ$20.43

$12.11 NZ$20.86

-2.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 NZ$126

$60.0 NZ$103

21.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 NZ$18.73

$9.17 NZ$15.80

18.54%

Cappuccino

$3.48 NZ$5.99

$3.23 NZ$5.57

7.74%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 NZ$3.92

$1.74 NZ$2.99

31.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 NZ$3.45

$1.99 NZ$3.43

0.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 NZ$12.27

$7.25 NZ$12.49

-1.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 NZ$10.17

$5.86 NZ$10.09

0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 NZ$3.74

$2.15 NZ$3.71

0.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 NZ$3.44

$1.89 NZ$3.25

5.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 NZ$3.29

$1.83 NZ$3.15

4.37%

Eggs

$5.59 NZ$9.63

$5.67 NZ$9.77

-1.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 NZ$14.41

$8.02 NZ$13.81

4.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 NZ$18.34

$10.86 NZ$18.71

-1.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 NZ$22.22

$12.88 NZ$22.19

0.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 NZ$4.96

$2.93 NZ$5.05

-1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 NZ$3.87

$2.28 NZ$3.93

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 NZ$5.83

$3.32 NZ$5.72

1.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 NZ$8.01

$4.40 NZ$7.59

5.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.26

$1.90 NZ$3.27

-0.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.57

$2.05 NZ$3.54

0.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 NZ$4.37

$2.45 NZ$4.22

3.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 NZ$1.92

$1.10 NZ$1.90

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.48 NZ$42.19

$24.48 NZ$42.18

Wine (Bottle)

$8.96 NZ$15.43

$9.39 NZ$16.17

-4.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 NZ$4.34

$2.56 NZ$4.41

-1.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 NZ$6.15

$3.75 NZ$6.47

-4.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 NZ$2.14

$2.05 NZ$3.54

-39.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.9 NZ$124

$62.9 NZ$108

14.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 NZ$10.22

$2.69 NZ$4.63

120.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 NZ$1.90

$1.13 NZ$1.95

-2.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.03 NZ$51.7

$29.95 NZ$51.6

0.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.86

$1.71 NZ$2.94

-2.92%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.7K NZ$33.9K

0.01%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.6K NZ$44.1K

$25.9K NZ$44.6K

-1.03%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$102 NZ$175

$101 NZ$175

0.13%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.32 NZ$60.9

$35.40 NZ$61.0

-0.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 NZ$94.1

$54.8 NZ$94.4

-0.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 NZ$88.1

$42.49 NZ$73.2

20.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.13 NZ$10.57

$12.00 NZ$20.69

-48.92%

Cinema Ticket

$9.69 NZ$16.69

$9.73 NZ$16.77

-0.41%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$575 NZ$990

$587 NZ$1,012

-2.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K NZ$20.5K

$12.2K NZ$21.0K

-2.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 NZ$114

$65.6 NZ$113

0.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.51 NZ$59.5

$34.53 NZ$59.5

-0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 NZ$163

$73.5 NZ$127

29.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 NZ$209

$79.1 NZ$136

53.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 NZ$1,525

$1,043 NZ$1,797

-15.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 NZ$1,306

$838 NZ$1,444

-9.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 NZ$2,585

$1,980 NZ$3,411

-24.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 NZ$2,322

$1,765 NZ$3,042

-23.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,902 NZ$8,447

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,237 NZ$3,854

$3,414 NZ$5,883

-34.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,582 NZ$4,449

$4,419 NZ$7,615

-41.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

76.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Dunedin: July 26, 2026

Last update for Wanaka: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $885 in Dunedin and $1,043 in Wanaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wanaka pays 71% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $73.0 in Dunedin vs $60.0 in Wanaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $323 per month, with Wanaka cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Dunedin vs Wanaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dunedin and Wanaka differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,795 vs $1,871 including rent). Dunedin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 71% lower in Wanaka. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $885 in Dunedin versus $1,043 in Wanaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dunedin runs roughly 14% less than in Wanaka. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $575 in Dunedin versus $587 in Wanaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,795 in Dunedin versus $1,871 in Wanaka, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Dunedin but tight or insufficient in Wanaka. The gap between the two cities makes Dunedin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Dunedin and Wanaka are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dunedin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Wanaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.